India regained their winning touch with a spectacular all-round display as they thrashed Sri Lanka by 69 runs in the 2nd T20 International to level the three-match series at Ranchi on Friday

Ranchi:India produced an all-round performance to outclass Sri Lanka by 69 runs in the second T20 International at the Jharkhand International Stadium here on Friday to level the three-match series 1-1.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan (51 off 25) scored a quick-fire half century as India posted a challenging total of 196/6 in 20 overs. In reply, the visitors could manage only 127/9 in 20 overs.

Indian cricketers celebrate the fall of a Sri Lankan wicket during the second T20 match in Ranchi on Friday. Pic/PTI

Chasing a challenging target of 197, the visitors got off to a worst possible start losing experienced Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) in the first over itself off the bowling of Ashwin.

In the next over, Sri Lanka suffered another blow when Danushka Gunathilaka (2) was caught off an outside edge off the bowling of Ashish Nehra and the side was reduced to 3/2 in 1.1 overs.

Next up, some tight bowling by both Indian pacers and spinners saw the visitors lose wickets at regular intervals.

Seekkuge Prasanna (1) being out in the fourth over saw the team struggling at 16/3.

From there on skipper Chamara Kapugedera (32) and Dinesh Chandimal (31) held on to score some quick runs but in the 12th over, Jadeja produced the much needed breakthrough for the hosts to get Kapugedera out to thus put more pressure on Sri Lanka.

With wickets falling in clusters it became difficult for the middle and lower order batsmen to pile on the huge runs which were needed and eventually surrendered to the Indians.

India's Shikhar Dhawan plays a shot during the second T20 international match against Sri Lanka at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Friday. Pic/AFP

Earlier, Dhawan smashed his maiden T20 International fifty to fire India to 196/6 even as Thisara Perera took only the fourth ever in T20 Internationals and first by a Sri Lankan.

Dhawan (51 of 25) stood out in India's run feast with the other notable performance coming from his opening partner Rohit Sharma (43 off 36), Hardik Pandya (27 off 12) and Suresh Raina (30 off 19).

The visitors pulled things back in the penultimate over with pacer Perera (3/33) picking up a hat-trick.

Sri Lanka put the hosts in to bat for the second game in a row and India openers were on fire from the word go.

Unlike the greenish deck for the first T20, the pitch aided the strokeplay they are known for.

Pacer Kasun Rajitha, who troubled the famed Indian batting on his international debut in Pune, proved to be expensive this time. The 22-year-old bowled short and wide on the very first ball of the match and Rohit comfortably dispatched it to the point boundary.

Dhawan got going with a couple of delightful sixes. He flicked pacer Thisara Perera over mid-wicket before sweeping spinner Sachithra Senanayake in the following over for another maximum. There was no stopping Dhawan after that as he got to his maiden T20 International fifty in 22 balls.

Rohit did not mind watching Dhawan demolishing the opposition bowlers from the other and by the end of six overs, India had to raced to 70 for no loss.

Sri Lanka badly needed a breakthrough to stop the onslaught of the dangerous opening duo and it was provided by pacer Dushmantha Chameera, who had Dhawan caught behind with a sharp and straight rising ball. The southpaw thoroughly entertained the Ranchi crowd with his cracking innings that comprised seven fours and two sixes.

Ajinkya Rahane joined Rohit in the middle but suddenly the boundaries were hard to come by with spinner coming into play on a dry surface.

Rahane released the pressure by hitting consecutive fours off medium pacer Dasun Shanaka, one over mid off and the the came courtesy a deft touch past Rajitha fielding at short third man. India were now 122 for one in 13 overs and 200 was very much a possibility.

The innings' flow was obstructed once again when Chameera pulled off a spectacular caught and bowled off Rohit before Senanayake had caught Rahane at cover point, leaving India at 127/3 in the 15th over.

Pandya, sent ahead of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, came to the party in the final overs in the company of Raina. He smashed Senanayake for consecutive sixes before Raina joined the part by picking up three fours off Chameera in the very next over.

India could have scored more had it not been for the hat -trick of Perera, who removed Pandya, Raina and Dhoni in the 19th over.